Switch-throwing mechanism.



a. v. COLLINS. SWITCH THROWING MECHANISIVI.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. l0, 19H.

Patented sept. 7,191.5.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

r al1/Wenko@ II. v. COLLINS.

SWITCH THROWING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED Nov. Io. 191,1.

l 1 52,79 l Y Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

/ mhlill V L@ e IIIIIWIII a. v. CGLLINS. SWITCH THROWING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I0. 1911.

PatentedSept. 7, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

5141 nto@ @Houma o BOY V. COLLINS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO ROYAL ENGINEERING CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SWITCH-THROWING MECHANISM.

Application led November 10, 1911.

T 0 all tlf/mm it may concern Be it known that l, ROY V. COLLINS, a citizen ot' the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan of the city of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inv Switch-Throwing Mechanisms, ot' which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to mechanism and apparat-us which may be applied to an electrically operated railroad whereby a switch point is under the control of a lnotorman operating the car.

The mechanism which is the subject of the present invention comprises two main features, namely, a line contacter which is placed adjacent to and connected withV a trolley wire, or other sourceI ot' electrical supply. and a street box containing therein a plurality7 of solenoids for operating the switch point. The linecont'actor is electrically connected with the solenoids in the street box in such Va manner that when a car is passing along the trolley wire and has a member in engagement with the contacter at a time when only a comparatively small amount of current or no current at all is being withdrawn by said car from the trolley wire. the switch point will be thrown to a certain position it not already in said position and when a large quantity of current is beingr withdrawn for the purpose of propelling the car the switch point will automatically be thrown to another certain position if not already in said position.

The invention also relates toa line coutactor which is particularly adapted for use on an overhead trolley wire of a railway system and it furthermore relates to the particular construction of a line contacter which will automatically close a circuit when a trolley wheel is moving along `in engagement therewith at a time when a small amount or Avno' current is being utilized on the car and 'which is so constructed that another circuit will be completed when the trolley wheel is moving along in engagement therewith when a large amount of current for operating the car `is being utilized.

As showing a specific embodiment of the invention, reference is made to the draw- Specieation of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept'. 7, 1915. serial No. 659,485.

ings forming a part of this specification and in which Figure 1 shows an assembled View of the line contactor and the street box containing the solenoids which are operatively connected to the switch point.l It also shows the wiring extending between the line contactor and the solenoids in the street box. Fig. 1a 1s a partial side View of the contactor showing the position of the contacts for completing the circuit through one of the solenoids in a street box. Fig. lb is a partial side view ot' the contactor showing the position of the contacts for completing the circuit through the other solenoid in the street box. Fig. '2 is a plan view, partially broken away, of the line contactor. Fig. 3 is a broken side view, mostly in section, of the leaving end of the contactor with the trolley wire in place relative thereto. Fig. 4.- is a side view partly in section of the approach end of the contactor. Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5*.3 of Fig. 4, the trolley wheel being located in broken lines in both Figs. 4 and 5. Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6*(3 of Fig. y3 looking inthe direction of the arrows, the upper inverted T-shape portion shown in said figure being a portion of the main frame. the portion having the arc shaped bottom being the movable section of a pivoted lever and the part having a circular cross section being the trolley wire. Fig. 7 is a view taken .on the line T-7 ot' Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

The trolley wire or source of supply is indicated by the reference character 1 while the switch point to be operated is indicated by the reference character 2. In Fig. l the switch point is shown extending in a direction 90 from that in which it normally extends merely for the sake of 'clearness and forv th'epurpos'e of including the transverse section of the street box and the side view of the contacter in the same figure.

The line contactor indicated by the reference character 3 comprises a main frame 4, a pair of stationary contacts 5 and 6, a movable contact 7, a pivoted lever 8. means 9 between the movable contact and the frame and between the movable contact `and the.

free end of thevpivoted lever whereby when the latter is raised the movable contact will `moved the proper distance.

be thrown into engaging position with one or the other of the stationary contacts and contact selecting or controlling means 10 which determines whether the movable con tact will or will not engage a certain one of the stationary contacts when the lever is The frame 4 may be connected with the trolley wire in any well known manner as by the parts 11 and 11. Y

The pivoted lever 8 preferably comprises two main portions or sections, namely, an insulated portion at the approach end of the contactar (which in some devices embodying forms of the invention Vmay not necessarily be movable) and a. movable portion. This movable portion as shown in applicants construction is not insulated from the trolley wire sincefit directly engages members that are electrically connected to lsaid wire but in carryin-g out applicants invention, it is immaterial whether or not the freely movable portion is insulated. The insulated portion 12 is pivotally connected at one end to a bearing 13 that is insulated from the frame by insulating material at 13'L and 13b and at its other end there is carried the freely mov- 'able part 14 which is insulated from the section 12 by the insulating material 15. The parts 12-and 14 together constitute the lever which is pivoted at 16 on bearing 13 and the outer or free end of Vthis lever whenin the lowest position is supportedby connecting mechanism, extending between it and the movable contact. which in turn is supported on the frame. The insulated portion 12 of the lever is shown enlarged in cross section in Fig. 5. In said figure it will be observed that the trolley wire 1 and the insulated lsection 12 are so positioned relative to each other that the trolley wheel during its engagement with and travel along the latter. will be .forced away from the f trolley wire a sufficient distance to break the direct How of electricity from the wire to the wheel. The approach end-ot` this insulated 'section is provided with an incline which causes the trolley wheel to gradually move from the/wire without an appreciable shock. This incline is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4 and is designated by the reference character 12".

In Fig. 6 a section of the frame 4 is shown and between it and the trolley wire 1 is positioned the movable section 14. This latter section is arc shapedA on its `lower side Zand 1s provided with a removable steel wearing strip 14 secured to the section 14 which is the part of the movable part or portion 14 that is secured to but insulated from the insulated section or part 12. lThe free end of the lever is so constructed that while it normally will rest in its lowest position it can be readily pushed upwardby lthe contact 7 will be free to move.

a trolley wheel when passing along under Y, and in engagement therewith whereby one lated from the frame 4 and between them' but not normally in Contact with either of them there is located the movable contact 7. This contact is provided with a pin 17 that enters a slot 18 in the link 9 .which is pivotally connected to the frame at 19, the link serving as a movable means for normally supporting the contact on the frame. Said movable contact is also electrically connected to the trolley wire by a connection 17a extending between the-pin 17 on the contact and the frame 4 with which the trolley wire is electrically connected. The free or outer end of the pivoted lever, namely the movable portion above referred to, is provided with a slot 20 (see Figs. 3 and 7) in which there is secured by means of the bolt 21 and nut 21a an adjustable vertical finger 22 the upper end of which is pivotally connected at 23 to the lower portion of the movable. contact 7. It will thus be apparent that when the movable portion or the free end of' the pivoted lever is raised the lower portion of the movable contact will be pushed upward and since the pivotal portion 17 is located ona movable link support When the contact selector or controlling means 10 isv not operated and remains in the position shown in Fig. 3 the upper portion of the movable contact will always move to the right or in engagement with stationary contact 5 when operated by the movable portion. This position of the contacts is clearly shown in Fig. 1". IThe contact selector or controlling member 10 comprises a solenoid 24 which operates the pointed plunger 25, This plunger is normally held in retracted position by the spring 26 but when actuated it assumes the forward position shown in Fig. 1n and engages the laterally projecting {inge-r 27 which is on the lower part of the movable contact 7. This engagement of the plunger 25 with the linger 27 causes the upper portion of the movable contact to he thrown from its normal position to the left a sufficient amount whereby when said contact is forced to move by the movable portion of the pivoted lever it will swing to the left around that portion of the' linger 27, as an instantaneous center, which is in eng. ,agement with the plunger 25. Thus when the free end of the pivoted lever or the movable section is raised while the plunger 25 is in forward position the upper end of the movable contact 7 will be thrown to the left and an electrical connection will be completed by the engagement of said contact 7 with the stationary Contact 5. This position of the contacts is clearly shown in Fig. 1B. One terminal of this solenoid or magnet 24 in the contact selecting vor controlling means is electrically connected to the insulated portion of the pivoted lever while the other terminal of said solenoid is electrically connected to the frame -l and thus to the trolley wire.

In order that the effect of current required or necessary to operate the contact controlling plunger which is actuated by the movable member 24 of the solenoid or magnet may be under control there is provided an adjustable screw stop 24"'. As this screw stop regulatesthe position of the movable member 2l which is within the coil of the solenoid or magnet 2l, it will be apparent that ythe elect ofY the current to operate said movable member against the pressure of the spring :'26 may be varied by either positioning the movable part 24 toward or from the magnet. When a car passes under the line contacter with the trolley wheel'in engagement with the pivoted lever thereof at a time when the power is off or only sufficient on the car to provide for the purposes of heating and lighting, the solenoid 24 will not operate the plunger 25 and the movable contact 7 will be free to and will be moved .to the right. lVhen current is on the car sufticient in amount to operate the same it Will be drawn from the trolley wire through said solenoid 24 thence through the insulated portion of the pivoted lever to the trolley wheel thence to the car, This current is suiiicient to' cause the solenoid to force the plunger 25 lforward to such position whereby the upper end ofthe movable contactv engagement with contact 5.

From an inspection of the drawings it will be observed that contact 5 is electrically connected with one of the solenoids 26 in the street box by the wiring 26a while contact 6 is electrically connected with solenoid 262- in the street box by the wiring 26". These solenoids arearranged so that when the current is passed by means of the movable contact 7 to Contact 5 and from thence through solenoid 26 and finally to the ground the switch point will be thrown in one direction and so that when the circuit is completed through the movable Contact 7 and the stationary contact 6 through solenoid 262 and from thence to the ground the switch point will be thrown in the opposite direction.

ready in said position it will be merely held .tighter against the rail while the trolley wheel is in Contact with the pivoted lever. Should the motorman however desire to go in a different direction he merely allows a car operating current to pass through the car motor at the time when the trolley wheel is passing under the line contactor. lVhen he does this the engagement of the trolley7 wheel with the inclined insulated portion at the approach end of the contact will cause the trolley wheel to be pushed from contact with the trolley wire and as all the car operating current which passes to the trolley wheel from the insulated portion must first pass through the solenoid of the Contact controlling means it will necessarily be operated thereby, and thus coperate with the movable contact 7 so that the free end of the pivoted lever will force the movable contact into engagement with another contact whereby a circuit is completed through another solenoid (262) arranged to throw the switch point in the proper position if not already in said position. It will theretore be observed that the contact engaging member 25 `operates only when the car is drawing operating current from the insulated port-ion of the line contactor and that when no car operating current is being used the upper end of the movable contact 7 will always be -moved to the right by the trolley wheel lifting the free end of the pivoted lever. But when operating current is being supplied to the car the contact controlling solenoid will move the movable contact to such position that when the free end of the pivoted lever is raised it willforce the upper end of the movable contact to the left thus completing a different circuit from that which is com'- plcted when it is forced to the right.

The street box previously referred to is formed of two parts separated by a hori' zontal water-tight partition 27. Through this partition there extends a verticalshaftv 28 provided with a depending flange Q9 that enters into the mercury 30 contained in a sealing'cup 31. It will be observed from an inspection of Fig. l that the top of the.

sealing cup 31 evtends above the bottom 32 of the switch point and also that this cup extends above the partition. constructed in this manner in order to'prevent the switch point from forcing dirt into the cup and also in order to form a wall around said shaft which will prevent the This has beenA tendency of dirt or mud on or above the partition from drifting or settling into the cup.

lt is obvious that various forms and modiications may be made without departingv l lated portion, the electrical selector so confrom the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

l. A line contactor having a frame which is adapted to be connected with a trolley Wire, said frame carrying at its approach end an insulated section, and a movable section located adjacent to the leaving end of the contact, said frame supporting a contact controlling means comprising a magnet,

one terminal of which is adapted to be electrically connected to a supply wire and the other end or' which is electrically connected With the insulated section, said frame also carrying two contacts, a movable contact operated by the movable section, the afore said contacts, movable section and contact controlling member so constructed, arranged and operated that when a substantial or large current is being passed through the magnet of the contact controlling means the circuit will be completed by 'a movement of the movable member due to engagement of the movable contactwith one of the contacts on the frame and so that when a lesser the frame thereby completing a second cir-A4 cuit.

2. The combination of a linecontactor comprising a frame; a supply wire connected therewith and a trolley member, said frame supporting between it and the supply wire, a pivoted lever having at the approach end thereof an insulated section, the movable or free end of thelever being at the leaving end of the contactor the cross section of the approach end which is insulated being so shaped and positioned relative to the trolley wire that the trolley wheel when in engagement therewith will be moved out of engagement with thetrolley wire, said frame carrying two stationary contacts and a controlling means for a movable contact, said controlling means being electrically conne'cted to the supply wire and to the insulated section and the movable contact being operated by the pivoted lever the movable contact being moved into engagement with one of the stationary1 contacts on the frame at one time and in engagement with the other stationary contact at another time, the movement of the movable contact into engagement with a particular contact being dependent upon the controlling means carried by the frame.

3. A line contactory having a frame, a pivoted lever comprising an insulated portion, a contact which is moved by the lever when it is moved, an electrical selector comprising a magnet, one terminal of which magnet is electrically connected to thev trolley line when the contactor is in place the other terminal of which is connected to the insustructed and arranged that when current is passing to the magnet thereof to supply the operating current for a car the selector will cooperate with the lever and movable contact whereby the latter may be moved to one position by the lever, the lever and movable contact so arranged 'that the latter will be moved by the former. to another position when car operating current is not passing through the magnet.

4c. A line contactor having aframe to be secured to a trolley wire, a trolley wheel engaging portions insulated from the frame, a trolley wheel engaging portion movable relative to the frame, a selector comprising electrically operated means having one terminal to be electrically connected to the supply wire and the other to the vinsulated portion whereby when current for operating .the car is being drawn therethrough the electrical means will operate the selector to regulate'the position of a contact and means operated by the movable portion 'to close a circuit.

5. A line contacter having a frame, means for securing the frame to a trolley wire, a member insulated from the frame, a vertically movable member, a Contact adapted to be mechanically operated by the last mentioned member, an electrical means having one terminal electrically connected to the supply wire, the other to the insulated member carried by the frame, and circuitl cona trolling means comprising said electrical means.

n6. A lme contactor having a pivoted lever lcomprising a portion insulated from the frame and a freely movable portion which moves a contact to engage other contacts, the hne contactor having a magnet for determining when a certain'circuit is to be.

either of the other contacts, a contact selecting 'or controlling means and a pair of solenoids; the parts' constructed and arranged so that where permitted to do so by the selecting means the movable contact will always be moved into engagement with a certain one of the contacts by the movable portion when it moves and so that when not permitted to do so by the said selecting or controlling means the movable contact will be moved into engagement with the other stationary contact by the movable section when it moves; one of the solenoids being electrically connected to one of the stationary contacts, the other solenoid being electrically connected to the other of the stationary contacts, and the movable contact being electrically connected to the trolley Wire.

8. In a line contacter a frame to which may be secured a trolley wire, a vertically movable section carried by said frame, two contacts on said frame, a movable contact operated by said movable section .and normally held from engagement with the rstmentioned contacts and an electrical selector which', when operated, will cause the movable section, when moved, to effect engagement between the movable contact andone of the first-mentioned contacts, the movable contact so mounted that when the electrical selector is not operated the movable contact will be moved to engagement with the other lirst-mentioned contact by the movable section when it moves inthe same direction as before.

9. A line contacter having a frame, amovable trolley wheel engaging section, contacts at least part of whlch are carried bythe frame, one of which contacts is moved by the section, a solenoid having a plunger to engage a portion which is movable with the last mentioned contact, the movable contact being supported by a member movable on the frame said movable contact having a connection between it and the movable section whereby when the latter is in its lowest position the movable contact will be out of engagement with any other contact.

10. In a device of the classl described, a

trolley wire,y a double solenoid, a controlling magnet, a movable conductor and means for supporting the same adjacent to thetrolley wire, la contact member which may be controlled by said controlling magnet, contacts l Y in the double solenoid circuits which may be closed by the pressure of a trolley wheel on said movable conductor through one coil of the double solenoid, or by the combined action of the controlling magnet and trolley wheel through the other coil of the solenoid when the device is 1n use, so that when a motor current is shut olf from the motors of a car one of the coils of the double solenoid will be energized and when the motor current is applied to the motors of a car the other coil of the double solenoid will be energized.y

1`l. In aL device of the class described, a trolley wire, a movable insulated conductor and means for supportingv the same adjacent Vto the trolley wire, a controlling magnet which is connected to the trolley wire and said movable conductor, a double solenoid adapted to operate the Switchpoint and means actuated by the combined action 'of said controlling magnet and the movable conductor or by the movable conductor alone so that when a trolley vwheel presses on this ROY V. COLLINS. Signed in the presence of Gr.l BRAKE,

G. MGGRANN. 

